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NEWPORT NEWS -- When Southwest Airlines acquires AirTran Airways, competition dwindles and flyers may end up paying more, experts said Monday. "We're likely to see reductions in frequencies as well as higher fares. I don't think it is good for consumers," said John Strong, a professor at the College of William & Mary Mason School of Business. "For a very long time now, almost 20 years, AirTran and Southwest and JetBlue have really been central to pushing airfares down and keeping them low. To the extent that there are only two of them, not three of them, that's not good for consumers." On Monday, Southwest Airlines announced plans to acquire AirTran,...

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NEWPORT NEWS -- When Southwest Airlines acquires AirTran Airways, competition dwindles and flyers may end up paying more, experts said Monday.
"We're likely to see reductions in frequencies as well as higher fares. I don't think it is good for...

We seem to be hearing the death knell for airline bereavement fares. The long-dwindling practice has nearly bottomed out in 2014, as most major American airlines have essentially done away with breaks for grieving fliers.
American Airlines eliminated its...

JetBlue is offering 15 percent off a base fare for Tax Day.
Book travel for a Monday through Thursday departure from April 29 through June 18 to some hot destinations.
Fly one way from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau for $94, Washington for $99, New York...

United Airlines joined several of its competitors by revamping its loyalty points program to base its rewards system on total dollars spent, not on miles traveled.
Other carriers such as Delta, Southwest and JetBlue have announced similar changes...

In the March 9 On the Spot, reader Kurt Sipolski of Palm Desert asked whether it was legal for airlines to charge a maintenance fee for frequent-flier miles. (It is.) Sipolski's question raised several issues that affect leisure travelers, who are...

Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Act quickly to undo the financial damage.
You have to change the date of your skiing trip, but you already bought the plane tickets.
The best-case scenario is that you learn about the change in plans within 24 hours of...

JetBlue is offering summer deals on airfares starting at $94 each way.
Book travel by Thursday, May 21 for a Tuesday or Wednesday departure from June 3 through Sept. 25 to some hot destinations.
Fly one way from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau for $94,...

The overall "quality" score of the 15 biggest U.S. airlines for 2013 increased enough over their 2012 performance to the best level ever recorded. At least that's what the authors of the annual "Airline Quality Rating" (AQR) scores...

JetBlue is tops in customer service among the six largest U.S. airlines. Marriott earns top marks among the eight largest multi-brand hotel chains. Among the online travel agencies (OTA), the little guys -- lumped into the "all others" group...

What airlines look on fondly as "ancillary revenue" hits you in the form of pesky -- and often outrageous -- fees and charges. A new report from the meticulous folks at IdeaWorks tells airline industry professionals what they need to know...

The drama starring Marybeth Cadotte and United unfolded like a serial e-novel.
The Pittsburgh traveler, trapped on a plane beset with mechanical problems, opened the scene with the first lines of tweetologue.
"Stuck on the plane in Pittsburgh....

A few of you might actually prefer red-eye schedules on long intercontinental flights -- they avoid the cost of a hotel night and maximize your available time at your destination. And you may tolerate them as the inevitable penalty you have to pay for a...

Your best chances of scoring a "free" frequent flyer domestic seat are on Southwest and JetBlue, a repeat of last year's performance. That's from the latest Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey, produced by IdeaWorks. US Airways replaced...

To nobody's surprise, Cathay Pacific came in as the number one "airline of the year" on the latest Skytrax ratings of the world's major airlines. This survey, which Skytrax modestly claims to be "a most respected global airline passenger...

Fees for everything from checked baggage to a few extra inches of legroom account for a generous portion of airline revenue. But no airline levies fees with the same gusto as Spirit Airlines. In 2013, Spirit collected $276 million in baggage fees, or 17...

Would former Lakers coach Phil Jackson fit in JetBlue's new Mint class seats?
That was one of the questions posed last week to JetBlue President Robin Hayes at the Grove. Hayes and his team spent Thursday and Friday in L.A. with an open-air set up of the...

To nobody's surprise, United announced a mostly "me too" makeover of its frequent flyer program in the Delta pattern. And, also to nobody's surprise, the new program is likely to make award travel worse for leisure travelers who use...

Here are some of the more interesting deals, websites and other travel tidbits that came across our desk recently.
Beijing and Shanghai — including airfare — for just $999 per person double occupancy is a heck of a deal. China Spree is offering that rate...

The unfamiliar and unwanted chill in the Florida air will soon subside, and that means one thing -- it's time for spring training baseball in the Sunshine State.
Pitchers and catchers begin reporting for Grapefruit League teams in the second week...

STOWE, Vt. — The secret to happiness is perspective, and that's particularly true when skiing.
For instance, should you be intimately familiar with the mighty mountains of the American West, East Coast skiing might seem tame, if not short, icy and gray....